Of Love and Laughter
by somethingborrowed3
Summary: James loves Lily. That's a given. But who knew the affection was mutual? Lily didn't know...until now. Lily/James ONESHOT


"Somewhere in his seventh year, James got the hint and stopped asking Lily out; except on special occasions, of course. I think that Lily rather…ah, _missed_ it."

~Albus Dumbledore.

* * *

"You've been avoiding me," Lily said simply.

"Excuse me?" James asked.

"You've been avoiding me," Lily repeated.

James laughed. "No I haven't. If I was, I wouldn't be standing here conversing with you, now would I?"

Lily mentally sighed. This boy was _good_. She had hoped she wouldn't, but… "Considering how I was stalked every waking minute the past six years-"

"Are you sure I was _only_ stalking you while you were awake?" James joked. He narrowly dodged Lily's potion's book. "Anyway," James said, brushing himself off, "I get the feeling that you're missing my company, eh Lils?"

"No!" She knew what James would say in reply to that statement…that's why she had hoped she could worm her way around. "I was merely…stating an observation. Yeah, that's right."

"You were observing something about me?" James' face lit up. "Well, in that case…wanna go out with me, Lily?"

"No," Lily said simply, rather surprised that he had just called her 'Lily'. "Accio book," she muttered, and her potions book came flying. She grabbed it and walked off. James had called her _Lily_. Yes, he'd call her 'Evans', or 'Lils', or 'Lily flower'…but never _Lily_.

James smiled, normally, she'd be yelling so loud that Peeves would stick his head out to enjoy the unfolding events. James would usually leave the scene with a hex or two and limbs protruding out of unspeakable places. Maybe he would have to use her proper name more.

* * *

Lily sat in one of the classrooms, immensely bored. The other prefects were in a corner, chatting animatedly, while Professor McGonagall paced the room rather impatiently.

"That's it!" She suddenly burst out. The prefects in the corner quickly hushed. "_Where_ is Potter? We can't start a meeting if the Head Boy isn't here." She then muttered something about Dumbledore being an utter fool.

"Well, why not let me go find him?" Lily suggested, her unconscious mind was eager to spend some time alone with James, even though she'd never admit it.

"No…no, I wouldn't want Potter to be spending alone time with you," McGonagall absentmindedly said, as if reading Lily's mind. "Stay here and make sure things don't go out of hand." She then turned into a cat and stalked off, returning with a disgruntled James dressed in pajamas.

Gosh, his hair looks cute like that…and I can see his chest! No…bad Lily. She shook her head a few times.

"Ok, there, Lily?" James asked after McGonagall released him. He called her 'Lily' again! "Yeah, I'm fine. Just had a random urge to shake."

"Ok…" James said, unbelieving.

"Now that Potter has so graciously woken up," McGonagall eyed James with daggers and flames, causing him to flinch, "we can start the meeting. First, we have to assign patrol schedules for the prefects, which I'm sure our Head Boy and Girl has already done."

James turned a shade of pink, but Lily held up a piece of parchment. "Yep, did it." Lily sneaked a peak at James, who was looking rather relieved. Honestly, what _was_ Dumbledore thinking, making him Head Boy?

"Good job," Professor McGonagall said, although sending a disapproving glare towards James. "Next we must discuss the matter of enforcing curfew. I've been told by Filch that someone was in the kitchens last night, and that they stole large amounts of treacle tarts. The halls need to be enforced more stringently at night. We need ideas."

Lily noticed the grin on James' face and knew that the Marauders were responsible for stealing the treacle tarts.

She shook my head, ignoring James' suddenly concerned look. Dumbledore _must_ have been mad to make James Head Boy. But she wasn't complaining.

* * *

Lily sighed as the warm liquid slowly crept down her throat, warming her insides and protecting it from the harsh external temperature. She picked up the butterbeer that James had bought for her and gulped down a few more drops.

No sooner had she placed the cup back on the counter when a hand came out of nowhere and swiped the butterbeer away.

"Potter!" Lily cried. "Give me back my butterbeer!"

James held it out of her reach while Lily jumped fruitlessly, trying to catch it. "No can do, Lils. I bought it, and I want some." He promptly emptied the entire cup.

"Potter!" Lily screeched.

James waved a finger in front of her face. "I prefer 'James'…And I _did_ buy it, you know."

Lily grumbled. He did have a fair point; even though he did buy it for her. But she didn't want to sound like a whiny whore, so she simply let it go. "Ok, fine…"

James looked confused. "Since when did you become so…"

"Don't push it," Lily growled. James took a step back, his hand held up in mock defeat.

Lily took one look at James' happy face, and suddenly felt a pang of guilt. She'd been taking advantage of him. She'd taken advantage of James' affection for her, and turned it into her own greedy purposes. Sure, now it was only asking for free cups of butterbeer…but what would it become later?

"Thanks for the butterbeer," Lily said, shyly. She could've sworn she saw James's ears twitch.

"Did you just say thanks to me?" James asked cockily.

"Yeah. Don't get used to it," Lily said, pulling on her gloves in preparation of leaving the warmth of the Three Broomsticks. Once she zipped up her jacket, Lily muttered a 'good-bye' and left.

Of course, James wasn't about to hang around Hogsmeade alone, nor was he about to let Lily wander around without a partner, either. He quickly followed Lily out, and felt the icy consequences of not casting a protective charm on his face.

"Ouch," James muttered. Lily turned around and asked, "You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just forgot to protect myself is all," he said, face burning red from both embarrassment and the icy daggers.

"Eksimo Retecto," Lily said, waving her wand. James' face suddenly felt better. "Episky," Lily waved her wand again and James' face abruptly stopped stinging.

"Thanks, Lily," James said.

"You're welcome…_James_." Lily replied, smiling. She resisted the urge to run up and feel _some _part of him…_any _part of him. She turned on her heels and walked away. James couldn't stop grinning, but decided not to push his luck. Pulling his cloak on tighter, he stalked off in the opposite direction.

* * *

"Prongs! You wouldn't believe what Snape just did!" Sirius said, running up to James.

"What? It can't have something to do with me, does it? I haven't done anything to him all year!" James explained.

"He asked Lily out to the graduation ball!" Sirius said, anxiously reaching for his wand in case James lashed out in uncontrollable anger. He was, however, rather surprised at James' reaction.

"So Snivellus goes and asks out Lily. Do you happen to know what she said in return?" James asked.

Sirius shook his head. "Not a clue. I only just heard from Moony, who was there at the time. But he doesn't know what she said either. Snape had _politely_ asked him to leave."

"I have to find Lily," James said, running.

* * *

"I said no…that I wanted someone else. Someone in Gryffindor…someone who shares the same dormitory as me…" Lily said, her voice now barely a whisper. "Someone who I used to hate," Lily continued, "but now love." She choked on the last part as she began crying and her throat began tightening.

James wrapped his arms around her protectively and hugged her close, though he was completely at loss for words, so Lily took the initiative.

"I was so stupid, James. I took advantage of you. I also took you for granted…and when you stopped asking me out, I began to feel something was missing. James…"

"The _other_ person that you told Snivellus about-"

"Call him 'Snape', James."

"Ok, Snape. The other person you told Snape about…was he me?"

Suddenly, Lily started laughing. She was laughing so hard that her sides started aching, but she couldn't stop. She didn't even know what caused the outburst either; only that something was funny about how dense James could be.

"Yes!" Lily cried. "Of course, you dimwit!"

Suddenly, James started laughing as well. To a passerby, it would've looked like the pair had gone absolutely insane, and should be shipped off to St. Mungo's immediately. But Lily and James were laughing, laughing because the alternative would be too painful.

They were laughing instead of crying. Laughing instead of mourning the years lost that they could have spent together, but laughing instead of hoping for the future. Every drop of emotion dripped into their laugh, as it rang across the hall.

Abruptly, the corridor became silent again except for the ghostly echoes. Lily had grabbed James and kissed him, full on the lips. He returned the favor, eagerly tasting her luscious, red skin, but afraid to cross an un-established line. Lily urged him to continue, licking his lips with her tongue. He parted his lips ever so slightly, and Lily attacked with so much ferocity that she pried it open.

James was surprised at this new side of Lily, but did not complain. He dueled her tongue just as fiercely as she his, and only parted momentarily to take gasps of air, only to attack one another again. James' lips finally parted from hers, only to climb up her cheek and began nibbling her ear. Lily let out a soft moan, only to be interrupted by someone clearing their voice.

Lily and James instantly flew apart and jumped away from each other a distance of 10 feet, face burning crimson. They stared at the source of the voice and saw Sirius Black and Remus Lupin standing, one with a grin on his face and the other with an undecipherable emotion.

Sirius reached into his pocket and pulled out 8 galleons, unhappily dropping it into Remus' waiting hands.

"You guys placed a bet on us!" James said. "I can't believe you, Sirius, would bet that I couldn't get Lily!"

Sirius shrugged. "You've been trying for 6 years now. And anyway, I bet that you _would_ get Lily. The only thing was that I bet you couldn't get her in time for the ball…"

"Oh," James said, beginning to feel slightly guilty for accusing his friend. "Sorry."

"No problem," Sirius said, waving his hand. "The entertainment you two provided more than made up for that," he and Remus grinned mischievously.

"What?" Lily asked. "How long have you been watching us?"

"Ever since you pushed James helplessly against the wall and started snogging him senseless," Sirius said, roaring with laughter.

Lily thought her face would explode with embarrassment. James loved it when she got mad; perhaps that was why he would annoy her on a daily basis back when he was younger. But she looked even cuter when she was mad at someone _else_.

"You two had better run," Lily threatened, brandishing her wand. Sirius and Remus understood the threat immediately and sprinted the opposite direction as fast as their feet could carry them.

Alas…James found them petrified and lying on the floor mere feet away from the Room of Requirement. So close... He shook his head in embarrassment.

* * *

**This was just something random that I had to write. It was also my first real kissing scene in any of my fanfics, so cosntructive criticism is always welcome. Please R&R! Thanks.**


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